BT 

At 




Glass 1 



Book. 







THE SPIRIT 

— of— 

CHRIST'S SERMON 

ON THE MOUNT 



By 

E. D. ALLEN 
St. Louis, 
Missouri. 



JULY— 1921. 



"This one thing I do." 



Ala 



JAN 9 1922 



o 






CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Declaration 5 

Review of Chapter 5 — St. Matthew 15 

View of Chapter 6— St." '"Matthew. . 27 

Vista of Chapter 7— St. Matthew 35 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 3 

CONCLUSIVE 

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings 
of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto 
a wise man, which built his house upon a rock : 

And the rain descended, and the floods came, 
and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house ; and it fell not : for it was founded upon 
a rock. 

And every one that heareth these sayings of 
mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened 
unto a foolish man, which built his house 
upon the sand: 

And the rain descended, and the floods 
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house; and it fell: and great was the fall 
of it." — Closing words of " Christ's Sermon on 
the Mount." 

IT HATH BEEN SAID 

How much better the world would be if it 
would adopt the principles, practice, and obey 
the precepts and teachings as contained in 
Christ's sermon on the Mount, for it is marked 
through and through with the seal of high 
Divinity, ever pointing to the rule of honesty, 



4 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

morality, and our duty to God and our bro- 
ther man. These words are stamped from first 
to last with drops of Divine love — from off the 
Everlasting Throne — evermore beseeching 
men to read, believe, follow its teachings and 
live. ''The words that I speak unto you they 
are Spirit and they are Life." John 6:63. 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 5 

THE SPIRIT OF 
CHRIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT 

DECLABATION 
When about commencing to write down 
this view of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, ac- 
cording to the light in which it appears to me ; 
I casually picked up a religious book printed 
by a well-known publishing house, that make 
a specialty of Evangelical Literature, on turn- 
ing to the back of the book where they have 
advertised their several publications with the 
titles, subjects and authors of the writings, I 
counted fifty-nine different books of recent 
issues as written by well-known Preachers, 
Bible teachers and Religious thinkers. Glanc- 
ing over the list of the fifty-nine books, there 
was not one that had for its subject, or from 
headlines denoted that any part of these sev- 
eral books contained any treatise or reference 
to Christ's Sermon on the Mount, as found in 
the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of the Gospel ac- 
cording to St. Matthew. Neither was there 
but one of the books that bore the title of 
"Jesus Christ" as its subject, and but one 



6 The S pirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

other with the title as relating to "Christ" 
alone. These statements seem almost incredi- 
ble yet true. Nor is the neglect confined to 
religious books alone, of not proclaiming Je- 
sus Christ "Far above all principality and 
power and dominion." 

But we turn to the Church, which is sup- 
posed — or should be "built upon the foun- 
dation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus 
Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone," 
and excepting no denomination, we seldom 
hear from their pulpits a sermon on the Ten 
Commandments, which is the Law of God, 
neither an entire discourse on Christ's Ser- 
mon on the Mount, the Magna Charta of the 
Christian religion. These topics appear to be 
"unwelcome messengers of truth." 

On a large painted bulletin in front of one 
of the principal churches of this city, I saw 
a few weeks back an announcement of a suc- 
cessive series of fourteen sermons to be 
preached on various worldly themes, but in 
them all the name of God or Jesus Christ or 
any reference to Deity did not appear. Not- 
withstanding the sermons on worldly themes, 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 7 

or the installation of moving pictures and 
other attractions that are used to draw the 
crowds to places of amusements, still these 
worldly methods do not produce Heavenly 
results, and the words of Jesus bear the same 
Truth wherein He says, "No man can serve 
two masters," so with these even outside at- 
tractions to induce the people to attend the 
churches, yet there is found plenty of empty 
pews and the people fail to fill them. Yet 
they do not seem to discover the spirit of a 
Psychology that is abroad which says the 
church is the place to receive spiritual food, 
and the place of amusement worldly enter- 
tainment, any more than men go to a restaur- 
ant for a pound of nails, or to a hardware 
store for something to eat. 

God's ways and God's plan of Salvation are 
not old style or out of fashion, for they are 
just as immutable today as when spoken 
amid the thunders of Sinai saying, "Thou 
shalt have no other Gods before me." So the 
words of Jesus Christ speak to us today in 
America and the world over, with the same 
power, as* when in Judea nineteen centuries 



8 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

ago. He said, "I am the way, the truth and 
the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but 
by me." 

Never before in the history of the race, has 
there been so great a need of spiritual instruc- 
tion all over the world as now, for strange as 
it may seem, all nations that are classed as 
Christian, are at the present time in a state 
of turmoil, discord and strife, bickering over 
the spoils of the greatest war in the history of 
the world, which was carried on at untold sac- 
rifice, with the ideal in view that it was a war 
to end wars, but contrary to the intention of 
some of the well meaning participants, has 
grown into a continuation of wars, and a fur- 
ther preparation for future wars, also produc- 
ing in its wake, Anarchy, Greed and Selfish- 
ness, so that the world appears dark, groping 
about, hoping it may yet discover the light 
that will bring "On earth peace, good will 
toward men," and the question is uppermost, 
"To whom shall we go?" 

Has the mobilization of fifty-nine million 
soldiers in the late world's war with a cas- 
ualty in dead, wounded and missing of over 



The Spirit of Christ 's Sermon on the Mount 9 

thirty millions, not including the millions who 
have perished by famine, disease and mass- 
acre, or as the indirect results of war. Hav« 
all these preparations with its dire results, 
brought to the world peace? Have legislative 
enactments and laws that have been passed 
and penalties inflicted to suppress Anarchy, 
Murders, Robberies and other crimes, accom- 
plished the miracle of changing the hearts of 
the criminal, thereby making of them better 
men and purer women? Has the drives that 
have been instituted by religious denomina- 
tions, and educational organizations, in rais- 
ing millions of money for evangelization and 
educational purposes, brought Righteousness 
and spiritual regeneration to the world, Have 
the propaganda of newspapers, books and 
other literary publications, changed the meth- 
od or principle of the profiteer, or the get-rich- 
quick man, at the expense of his neighbor, or 
has he turned from the error of his ways, If 
1hen the world has not found peace in the rais- 
ing of mighty armies and hurling at each 
other death-dealing instruments of warfare, 
or if the law of man has failed in reforming 



10 The Spirit of Christ 's Sermon on the Mount 

or converting the criminal, or the Church and 
educational organizations have discovered 
that the gift of God cannot be purchased with 
money, but should trust on the promise of the 
Lord, where He says "I will instruct thee and 
teach thee in the way which thou shalt go ; I 
will guide thee with mine eye," or if great 
literary publications with their gifted writers 
have failed to instil into the heart of the pub- 
lic by argument or reason alone, the basic 
principle of Justice and Love, or with the 
many other world's agencies failing in the 
effort to bring Peace and Good-will toward 
mankind by using man-made methods only, 
then whither shall we turn? 

David, Israel's great King, after trusting 
in worldly things, finally said as found in the 
62nd chapter of Psalms, 11th verse, these 
words of truth, ' ' God hath spoken once ; twice 
have I heard this; that power belongeth 
unto God." So we must conclude there is no 
one person of the world, or no group of per- 
sons or any agency on earth, wise enough, or 
powerful enough to instruct men by force or 
education, in the principles of righteousness, 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 1 1 

justice and love. Superhuman wisdom and 
power are necessary to bring about this era to 
the hearts of mankind. 

Does not Jesus Christ speak to the world 
today through the Prophet Isaiah these words 
of promise, hope and good cheer: "And I 
will bring the blind by a way that they knew 
not ; I will lead them in paths that they have 
not known; I will make darkness light before 
them, and crooked things straight. These 
things will I do unto them, and not forsake 
them. ' ' 

"We now turn to Christ's Sermon on the 
Mount, and the ethical teachings of Jesus, to 
discover if not in those supremely valid pre- 
cepts, there is not within-pointed out to us 
the remedy for Life's Difficulties, that not 
only confront national, but individual life as 
well. Do we not here find applied or practi- 
cal Christianity, the voice which tells us to 
put away self and passion, and establish in our 
thoughts and hearts the desire for right-doing, 
in every mental and active phase of our lives, 
thereby bringing the rewards of Blessings 
and Peace, if we but adopt these principles, 



12 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

and uprightly live them; for they have the 
Seal of High Divinity, ever pointing to Hon- 
esty, Justice Morality and Duty to God and 
our Fellow Man, and "is the power of God 
unto Salvation to every one that believeth." 

In the closing words of His sermon, Jesus 
said, 

"Therefore whosoever heareth these say- 
ings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him 
unto a wise man, which built his house upon 
a rock : 

"And the rain descended, and the floods 
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house ; and it fell not : for it was founded 
upon a rock.'' 

This declaration could also be well used as 
the introduction to those immortal truths 
preached to His Disciples and a multitude of 
about five thousand of His countrymen, near 
the shores of the Sea of Galilee; delivered 
from an elevation called Mount Hattin, aris- 
ing from a surrounding plain, lying between 
Tiberius and Mount Tabor, seven miles from 
the then city of Capernaum, in a southwestern 
direction, admitted by travelers as being the 



The Spir it of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 13 

most beautiful spot in Palestine. 

The great congregation assembled on this 
plain had come from different parts of Syria, 
Judea, Galilee and other sections to see and 
hear this remarkable man, whose fame had 
gone abroad on account of His baptism by 
John the Baptist but a few weeks previous, 
after which He went about preaching the Gos- 
pel, healing the sick and performing wonder- 
ful miracles. Many of those assembled had 
known Him as a resident of the small hilly 
town of Nazareth, where He had worked at 
the humble trade of a carpenter. They knew 
Him as a young man of perfect form and feat- 
ures, leading an upright and clean life, en- 
dowed with a wonderful amount of wisdom, 
and from His youth had an intimate know- 
ledge of the Scriptures, and at all times serv- 
ing God in spirit and in truth. 

The Disciples that Jesus had recently cho- 
sen, as also many others of the vast congrega- 
tion that had come to hear this exhortation, 
already believed He was the long looked for 
Messiah, as promised by the Prophets of old. 
They had the exaggerated conception that 



14 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

when their Deliverer came, He would be en- 
dowed with a great and powerful master-mind, 
gathering together force, and with armies, 
drive from their land the hated Roman rulers, 
who now had government over them in the 
person of Herod the First as their Vassal 
King. They fostered expectations, that their 
Messiah would again reinstate the glory of 
David's throne and the kingly splendor of a 
Solomon. Jesus had lived His life among 
these people and well knew of their dreams 
for a temporal deliverer. He was filled with 
sympathy and a desire to help them on to 
happiness — for which in all ages the world is 
seeking. He knew they could discern no way 
to secure their coveted desires — only by 
force and man-made methods, which had been 
used before their time and still in use, but in 
the end have always proven failures. So in 
wonderful words of Truth, He tells them of 
the better, and only Way. 



The S pirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 15 

REVIEW OF CHAPTER FIVE 

ST. MATTHEW 
JESUS HERE PROCLAIMS 
Not only to the multitude assembled on that 
Galilee plain nearly nineteen centuries ago, 
but to all succeeding generations, that who- 
soever will hear His words, and doeth them; 
then will be seen that all things they need 
— now exist. And if they will place them- 
selves under the great Law of Divine Love, 
put away thoughts of Envy, Selfishness, Re- 
talliation and Revenge, then will Blessings 
come to the Poor in spirit, To they that Mourn, 
To the Meek and lowly, To those who Hunger 
to do the right as they see the right, To the 
Merciful of heart — and whosoever extends 
kindness to every person, as also to every crea- 
ture that God has given life. Blessings and 
peace will go with all that are Pure in heart, 
for God will always be nigh unto them. To 
those that have peaceful thoughts and peace 
exist in their minds will be blessed as Peace- 
makers, even Blessings will come to those who 
are Persecuted for doing the right, and not 
turning aside from the right, or giving way to 
compromise, or allow public or private per- 



16 The Spirit of Christ 's Sermon on the Mount 

suasion to change them from the Truth. If so 
— then their influence — like the salt which has 
weakened, will have lost its power to do good 
and instead of the Light that should shine in 
you to show others the way, it is then hid un- 
der a bushel. 

The foundation, the cornerstone of Christ's 
Sermon on the Mount, was built upon the 
great principles contained in the Law as given 
on Mount Sinai from God to man. Jesus was 
very explicit in asserting He came not to take 
even a part of a word from the law or proph- 
ecy, but that He would magnify and illumi- 
nate them — also warning that whosoever should 
break any part of these great commandments 
or in any way influence others to break them — 
although, the act may be done in secret, still 
condemnation and punishment, would be 
brought upon ourselves, living in the fear that 
the law would find us out. He also enjoins 
that the union of doing ourselves what we 
teach others as good, is essential, and that 
every one should practice what they preach — 
then the world would be better. In calling 
attention to the sixth Commandment, "Thou 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 17 

shalt not kill," He magnifies this command, 
warning against the danger of getting into 
any angry argument, probably hurling vile 
words at each other, resulting in the danger of 
breaking one of God's Commandments, with 
the punishment that not only follows by the 
law of the land, but the ever-present Consci- 
ence also. This great Teacher of truth also 
reminds those who would follow Him, they 
can do no act of Charity, or any good with a 
sincereity of purpose, if they carry animosity 
or ill-will in any form against His fellow-man, 
the differences between the two must be ad- 
justed before other would-be gifts that are 
tainted with spite and discord are offered ; for 
such gifts are not accepted in the kingdom of 
Heaven. Jesus says, "First be reconciled tc 
thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." 
There is no discord but what can be harmon- 
ized. Probably each will have to give and 
take, unloading selfishness, but in the end both 
will rejoice and be exceedingly glad for it 
does not pay to have an adversary. 

Neither can there ever be any Ideal League 
of Peace among all the Nations of the world. 



18 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

When a part bear a bitter enmity against the 
other part, any more than "If a kingdom be 
divided against itself, that kingdom cannot 
stand," and until Hatred, Greed and Malice 
are sincerely abolished from the hearts of 
mankind, and each are willing to cover the 
mistakes of the other with the broad mantle 
of Charity, desiring to extend to one another 
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever 
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, 
and the realization that all are Brothers, hav- 
ing one Father — God. Then will there be a 
Psychology go abroad speaking in a voice 
through the high and through the low — the 
crowning desire of their hearts — "Let us have 
Peace." Neither will it require fleets of bat- 
tleships, or huge armies to enforce that peace, 
for then it will be born in the heart of man- 
kind. And every nation will then sing with 
renewed energy, that noble Anthem, "Glory 
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men." 

Adultery is not only condemned bearing 
its physical as well as moral punishments, but 
He here enjoins that the lust after a woman 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 19 

is the breaking of the Seventh Commandment, 
and warns against even this unholy desire to 
even enter their minds, and if such does ap- 
pear, then, like the surgeon who would pluck 
out of its socket the diseased eye, if there was 
a probability it would endanger the sight of 
the other eye; or if a, patient had his right 
hand damaged and the danger of blood poison, 
he quickly cuts off the offending hand, to save 
the defiling of the whole body. So with all 
unholy desires that incites the passions, they 
must be quickly cast out from the vision of 
the mind. 

Jesus then turns to the subject of marriage 
and the law of divorce, which in all ages has 
been sadly perverted in the severing of mar- 
riage vows, by Courts of Justice. Jesus infers 
that no legislature on earth can make right by 
its enactments, what is morally wrong. 
"What therefore God hath joined together, 
let no man put asunder/ ' Would it not be 
better for husband and wife to sit down to- 
gether and talk over their difficulties, and en- 
deavor to adjust them there, than to air them 
before an amusing crowd in the divorce court? 



20 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the M3unt 

There is a proverb that says, ' ' Good under- 
standing giveth favor; but the way of trans- 
gressors is hard." 

He then reproves His hearers against the 
careless habit of breaking the Third Com- 
mandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of 
the Lord thy God in vain," and points out 
the numerous ways of evasion used to seem- 
ingly have the effect without openly commit- 
ting the real offense. It was the teachings 
among the Jews at that time — it was plausible, 
that if the name of Jehovah was omitted, then 
the oath was not binding. So they swore by 
their heads, by the temple, by heaven, by Je- 
rusalem and by the earth. He then warns and 
teaches that this custom of forswearing is 
only a false way of committing perjury. He 
then points out to them the manly way, the 
honest way, the Godly way, and in plain 
words — says "Swear not at all"; interpreting 
the teachings of Truth, avoiding evasion — 
which is only the next door to a Lie. The 
man or woman using an oath thinking it will 
make the argument or conversation more ef- 
fective — are not only breaking one of God's 



21 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

great Commandments, but are lowered even 
in the estimation of worldly people. It is a 
psychological fact that persons using profan- 
ity* it shows in their countenance. With men 
they have the brutal look, while with women 
their complexion is coarse and mars their 
beauty. Also if a youth in his effort to imi- 
tate profane words commences with possibly 
' ' Gol Darn, " he is sowing the seed which will 
mature a crop of profanity. So with young 
or old, rich or poor, male or female, our con- 
versation should be circumspect, and our 
words fitly spoken. 

This great Humanizer, who was so well 
versed in human nature? now earnestly remon- 
strates against the custom of Retaliation, 
which not only had been used for centuries be- 
fore, but is still with us in the present day, 
and the world goes on as it has with its un- 
civilized rule of "An eye for an eye, and a 
tooth for a tooth," not discovering that the 
method never has, or never will accomplish 
any harmonizing results, by following out this 
principle, but continues with a feud that never 
ends. The ethics here taught by Jesus in this 



22 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

part of His sermon is — that if a person with- 
out provocation is so uncivil as to strike you 
on the right cheek, it is better you turn to 
him the other also, than to make the act more 
degrading by striking back, and probably re- 
sulting in a human dog fight. Either of the 
parties have gained nothing — only punish- 
ment and remorse. It is far better to be so 
strong that nothing can incite you to passion, 
or disturb your peace of mind. Cast away 
the spirit of quarreling, neither attack others, 
or defend yourself, then your heart will be at 
peace with all. Jesus rebuked Peter for try- 
ing to shield his Master's life by wrong-doing. 

And a few hours after as He stood in the 
judgment hall of Pilate* in the guise of a crim- 
inal, receiving from His accusors insults and 
cruel blows on His face, He showed no spirit 
of resentment, but in contrast to this venge- 
ful mob, He alone stood there in knightly 
courtesy, and pure devotion to His ideals. 

But if He had in that hour of great trial 
returned blow for blow to them that struck 
Him, or had He hurled back at them the un- 
civil ban, when they scoffed or jeered at him 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 23 

— had he there yielded; the trial would have 
then ended in a disgraceful scene, and His ac- 
cusers would then know that His power and 
influence which they had feared, was now 
ended, and that His teachings of Love and 
Good-will — had by His own acts of Violence 
and passion, been crushed to earth. Then 
there would have been no Crucifixion, there 
would have been no Resurrection, or no Re- 
deemer, for He would have been but human 
and of the world-worldly. But He remained 
steadfast and calm, knowing the future good 
and salvation of the whole world depended 
upon His firmness in that supreme hour, 
''leaving us an example/ ' "who, when He 
was reviled, reviled not again; when He suf- 
fered, He threatened not; but committed 
Himself to Him that judgeth righteously." 
And the same purity of principle and spirit 
of forgiveness, He carried to the cross — for 
among His last words He said — "Father, for- 
give them : for they know not what they do." 

Jesus uses the same principle of the law of 
Love, in pointing out the useless method of 
going to law on every small provocation, 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 24 

which seldom produces the results sought. 
The only benefit is possibly to the Lawyer, 
who gets his fee. It is better to settle our 
difficulties with each other that concern our- 
selves, than pass them on to the public. 

This great Teacher with His indwelling 
Love for mankind, instruct His followers to 
be considerate and accommodating to our 
neighbor who ask of us a favor for which he 
is in need, and which is in our power to grant 
to him, we should not answer his request by 
making vain excuses and selfish evasions, by 
withholding from our neighbor that to him 
would have been a needed favor, for is he not 
your Brother? A wise man has said, ''The lib- 
eral soul shall be made fat : and he that water- 
eth, shall be watered also himself." 

Also this principle comes out in the philoso- 
phy of Jesus, in the general precept on Love 
and Hatred. The person that says I do noth- 
ing for nobody that don't do nothing for me, 
is fostering about themselves a poor doctrine 
and leading a life without much sunshine in 
their hearts. Such people are filled with the 
great sin of Selfishness, demanding that every- 



25 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

thing of the best should be handed to them, 
— but unwilling to pass the favor on to others. 
Jesus had not one trace of selfishness in His 
life, or His words or His works, but went 
about freely extending to all His sympathy — 
assistance and love, leaving to us the exam- 
ple to ever send Love waves out, whether to 
friend or enemy, to all and for all, should our 
prayer be to Him who is the one Father over 
All, who maketh His sun to rise on the evil 
and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just 
and on the unjust, and as the Father loves 
them, so He wants them to love one another; 
and the same principles which govern our 
Father which is in Heaven, are those to gov- 
ern us. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." 
Then will the world confess and live the 
truth, of the brotherhood of man, and the 
fatherhood of God. 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 27 



VIEW OF CHAPTER SIX 
ST. MATTHEW 

Jesus now teaches the sincere principle to 
follow, in Alms giving"; also Prayer and Fast- 
ing. He censors the practice of Alms giving 
— or the seeming act of any charity, for the 
mere purpose of gaining publicity and the ap- 
plause of men; if such be the spirit — then the 
act has not been discharged in reference to 
God, but to men, and from men they have al- 
ready received their reward — neither can they 
expect double pay. There is a proverb say- 
ing, "A wise man's heart is at his right hand; 
but a fool 's heart at his left. ' ' In this connec- 
tion Jesus says : 

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy 
left hand know what thy right hand doeth : 

"That thine alms may be in secret: and 
thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall 
reward thee openly." 

He continues on the sincereity of spirit to 
be used in Prayer, which we should consider 
a solemn address to the Supreme Being only, 
communing with Him in the secret place of 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 28 

the most high, then when we have come to Him 
with the honest ardent spirit, He knoweth what 
things we have need of — before we ask Him. 
So we do not have to submit a tabulated long 
statement of our wants. For God heareth the 
prayer of but a few words, coming from the 
sincere heart, with more pleasure to Him — 
than the prayer of possibly the learned pro- 
fessor who at a public gathering may be dis- 
playing his rhetorical abilities for the enter- 
tainment of his audience. 

The following prayer that Jesus furnished 
as a model for his followers in all ages of the 
world — is so fertile in its teachings, that it 
covers all we may desire, or ask, for our guid- 
ance day by day, and can the parallel of this — 
the /Lord's Prayer," be found elsewhere in all 
literature — that Jesus gave to His disciples, 
nearly nineteen centuries ago, when He said : 

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our 
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy 
name. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in 
earth, as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily "bread. 



The Spirit of Christ's Se rmon on the Mount 29 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our 
debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver 
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and 
the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

The substance of this brief but deep mean- 
ing petition, is the proper adoration of God, 
the complete acknowledgment, as well as con- 
tinuance of His rule in the universe, and the 
beautiful harmony which shall follow when 
man's moral energies will conform to the will 
of God; with the petitioner desiring and ask- 
ing sustenance, forgiveness, and safety. 

Following the instruction given by Jesus of 
how and what to pray for, He then cautions 
his followers it is useless to go to God asking 
forgiveness, if they already had failed to for- 
give any trespasses, committed toward them- 
selves ; if to take a short cut we trespass on 
our neighbors lawn, we must not berate our 
neighbor if he walk across our lawn. "For if 
ye forgive men their trespasses, your heaven- 
ly Father will also forgive you:" Jesus calls 
attention to fasting; warning against merely 
playing the part; that men may praise their 



30 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

saintlyness, for your own life will reflect to 
the world a clean heart if your character is 
pure, and your every purpose is upright. "He 
that believeth on the Son of God hath the wit- 
ness in himself. ' ' This great Teacher now turns 
to one of the greatest of evils that has pre- 
vailed in the world from its earliest history, 
on down through the ages, and seemingly 
with greater force at the present day than 
any previous age — the whole world seems to 
have gone mad in its rush to accumulate ma- 
terial treasures fostering the belief that emi- 
nence consists in a large bank account and im- 
mense dividends; some — preachers, exhort on 
the evil of Human greed and selfishness, and 
some — writers, point out the danger line to 
which individuals and nations are drifting, 
still these same men allow themselves to be 
drawn in this worlds swift current, until they 
too, accumulate their bank account, nor do 
they object to how large it grows — the larger 
the better they think — and so reflect the 
thought of the present age, that they also will 
accumulate greater influence if measured by 
the worlds measuring rule — and not by the 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 31 

rule of the Carpenter of Nazareth, who says: 
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon 
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and 
where thieves break through and steal." 

The old Proverb saying: "A good name is 
rather to be chosen than great riches, and lov- 
ing favor rather than silver and gold," is 
just as capable of application to the present 
day, as when written in the centuries of the 
past. Among the millions of names that have 
graced the pages of history in the past or 
present there are three that stand out in 
brighter illumination, as the three greatest and 
wisest men of the ages — those names are Moses, 
the God sent Great Law Giver — Jesus Christ, 
the Great Redeemer — and Abraham Lincoln, 
the Great Emancipator. These three men were 
all very poor, counting material wealth as a 
standard, they each worked at the most hum- 
ble kind of labor, Moses was a sheep herde^ 
until called of God to lead the children of 
Israel out of Egypt. Jesus a carpenter, until 
he started his ministry, and Lincoln working 
at common labor, until he was some twenty-two 
years of age when he fitted himself for a coun- 



32 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

try lawyer and rising to become the great 
President of a nation, and emancipator of near- 
ly four million slaves. So it was not wealth, 
or classical education or influence, that has 
made the names of these men imperishable in 
the world, but they each under God gave their 
lives for humanity, having an eye single to do 
God's will repudiating even the thought of 
earthly treasures; wisdom, speaking to them, 
that they could not serve two masters. "God 
and Mammon." Hence they have laid up for 
themselves "treasures in heaven where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
do not break through nor steal:" 

Jesus now gives to this listening multitude, 
His beautiful lesson on Faith and Trust, and 
kindly warns them against the all too common 
habit of allowing to creep into their minds un- 
due anxiety as to their future temporal exist- 
ence ; making their lives not only a burden to 
themselves, but possibly others also, by un- 
called for worrying day by day. He saw be- 
fore him many, bearing that anxious look, that 
cannot be hid from the countenance of those 
people who allow their minds to be harassed 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 33 

in thoughts of what is to become of them "to- 
morrow," yet those same people know they 
were cared for yesterday, and are being cared 
for today, seeming also to forget — "that today 
is the tomorrow they worried about yester- 
day." He here taught that inspiring lesson in 
Psycology, and the training of the mind to cen- 
ter on the ever thoughtful care God bestows 
on all his creatures, He seems to say look at 
the birds flying yonder; they have no homes; 
they are of the air; apparently cheerful, hold- 
ing no property or engaging in any business 
pursuits. Simply following their instincts, do- 
ing what God put them into the world to do. 
If then God chose to create them — He feels 
charged to maintain them, and He does ; caus- 
ing things to grow that feeds them. God is but 
the Creator of these innocent creatures, but 
He is your Father, and knows you are more 
worth preserving, and cares more for you— 
than they; so accept cheerfully the place in 
life that is yours — although you may gather 
lessons from the birds of the air, and lilies of 
the field, yet they will all pass away, Man and 
Heaven will remain, with God ever standing 



34 The Spirit of Christ ; s Sermon on the Mount 

underneath your life 's shadows, with His never 
failing promise : 

"Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt 
thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt 
be fed.' 7 

Then will be taken care of all our Tomorrows. 

We have our own lives to live, and thought to 
direct them — as we will; so if we have proven 
that by training our minds, in a certain direc- 
tion, the phenomena is produced of the fulfill- 
ment of that thought, sent out, then we have 
discovered the Truth; 

"And the Truth shall make you Free." 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 35 

VISTA OF CHAPTER 7. 

ST. MATTHEW 
"Judge not, that ye be not judged." Ever 
has, and ever will, bear the same truth, as when 
Jesus spake these words in his everlasting 
Sermon on the Mount. Ths is the unlovely 
spirit with which many are inclined to criticise 
the conduct of their fellows — commonly called 
gossip, by the use of the unruly evil tongue. 
It has been well said, there are two good rules 
which ought to be written on every heart ; 
"never believe anything bad about anybody, 
unless you positively know it is true ; never tell 
even that, unless you feel that it is absolutely 
necessary, and that you are willing God and 
the party accused should listen while you tell 
it." Would it not be wise philosophy to care- 
fully examine your own hands and see if they 
need a washing, before you point out the soiled 
hands of your neighbor. With that class of 
people who are very adept at criticism, it seems 
hard for them to tell the other fellow just what 
he- should do instead. Abraham Lincoln was 
criticised from all sides in the early years of 



36 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

the civil war, and he used this philosophy, 
which is well worth quoting, ''I do the best 
I know how — the very best I can; and I mean 
to keep on doing so until the end. If the end 
brings me out right, what is said against me 
wont amount to anything. If the end brings 
me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right 
would make no difference." This is a real 
thought, for every one to follow: To ever do 
the best we know how, the best we can, and 
then leave the results for righteous judgment. 

Is there not also a great lesson taught in 
the following verse, as Jesus continues the 
teachings that what we may term, as mental re- 
sults, when He says : 

"For with what judgment ye judge, ye 
shall be judged : and with what measure ye 
mete, it shall be measured to you again." 

A poet has said, "Think smiles, and smiles 
shall be ; Think doubt, and hope will flee. 
Think love, and love will grow; Think hate 
and hate you'll know." It is the unchange- 
able Law, that what we put out comes back. 
It may not — like the rubber ball — rebound at 
once, but sometime, somewhere, somehow, it 



The Spirit of Christ 's Sermon on the Mount 37 

will return that which was put out, whether 
for good or for evil, on its airy wings it will 
come back. There is a Proverb saying, "Cast 
thy bread upon the waters : for thou shalt 
find it after many days." There is nothing 
lost in this world. "As it was in the begin- 
ning, is now, and ever shall be." So we can 
generally find what we are looking for, 
whether it be good or evil they are somewhere 
waiting for us. Some people are always look- 
ing for flies and other insects, and are earnest 
advocates of enforcing the slogan, "Swat the 
fly." These people generally find what they 
look for, so does the fly, the mosquito and 
other insects they are at Avar with — find them, 
and as the glad day has not yet come wherein 
is Peace on Earth, so these creatures have 
their organized armies, with trained fighters, 
and the same principles as the nations of hu- 
manity — that if you fight us we will fight you. 
So the war goes on until the cause is removed 
for bringing together these hostile forces, and 
every cause has some explanation. It is the 
law of the universe that God never creates 
anything, whether how small or how great, 



38 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

but it plays its part in the scheme of the uni- 
verse, and finally when analyzed it will be 
found God has His finger on it all, for the 
good of humanity, while seemingly the Law 
that punishes, is finally the Law that saves. 
For instance these little insects He has cre- 
ated, which we term pests, are but His warn- 
ing messengers, sent, mutely telling us to 
clean up, and keep clean. Remove that garb- 
age can from the kitchen, fill up stagnant 
pools, have no decomposed matter lying 
around, keep clean yourself, as also your fam- 
ily, and those about you, then you will have 
no use for the cruel fly swatter, or the repul- 
sive, sticky fly paper, as these instruments 
only attract more, to the dead ones lying 
about, as corruption breeds corruption. So 
what results have been accomplished by using 
these methods, while the causes still remain? 
Would we swat the boy who rings the front 
door bell to tell us our house was afire? In- 
stead, we would proceed to quench the flames 
as quickly as possible. When the United 
States Government started to dig the Panama 
Canal, the workmen were forced to wear a 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 39 

screen over their faces, in protection from 
the millions of mosquitoes that infested the 
zone at that time. After the engineers had 
drained the swamps and stagnant pools of im- 
pure water, and cleaned up the towns of Colon 
and Panama, at either entrance — the zone then 
became as free from these insects, also as heal- 
thy as any other part of the United States, lo- 
cated near the sea coasts. Many other in- 
stances are well known, of how cities after be- 
ing properly drained and cleaned up, have 
been made healthy, where before they were 
hot-beds for yellow fever, cholera, and other 
epidemics. So as the Truth ever remains, it 
proclaims to us, remove the cause, and the 
effect will vanish. But whoever harbor in 
their thoughts and practice of their lives, the 
spirit of cruelty to anything that has life, 
whether it be of the human, the animal or the 
insect kingdom, such persons will have cruelty 
returned to them, for a cruel heart breeds a 
poison in their blood, resulting in disease and 
pain to the mental as well as their physical be- 
ing. So instead of harboring cruel thoughts: 
rather cultivate the spirit, to be good, to be 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 40 

kind to every person, as also to everything 
that has life. Do the right as yon see the 
right. Have faith that all things work to- 
gether for good, then we will all help to bring 
in the world that happiness and peace, for 
which we are ever seeking — and there will go 
abroad a spirit which will bring to the workl 
the truth of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, 
where he says, "They helped every one his 
neighbor ; and every one said to his brother, 
'Be of good courage.' " Isaiah 41:6. 

Jesus points out a character lesson in the 
following words, which often is not fully com- 
prehended : 

"Give not that which is holy unto the 
dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, 
lest they trample them under their feet, and 
turn again and rend you." 

He imparts the teaching, that some people 
often display a dog-like ferocious opposition 
to receiving the truth which is offered them in 
the most kindly spirit by others, and which 
is for their own benefit, if received in the same 
spirit it was offered; although our good mis- 
sion may be repulsed, we are not to pronounce 



41 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

any harsh judgment, but leave with them 
some good they can absorb, for like the dog 
who would turn from the choice cut of meat, 
well cooked, nicely garnished, and offered to 
them on a silver serving dish, yet they pos- 
sibly would grab with delight the bone we 
throw out to them. Then there is the impure 
man that goes about seeking to take from the 
virtuous young woman that Pearl of Great 
Price, her virtue, which after he has secured 
that so highly valued treasure, he then turns 
from her with scorn. The young woman has 
cast her pearl before the swine. It has been 
trampled as it were under feet and crushed 
in the mire of his own lust. 

There is a truth that "Man always possesses 
close to his hand, all the means necessary for 
his own happiness." Jesus verified that truth 
when He said: 

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, 
and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
opened unto you." 

Some merchants have signs in their places 
of business bearing this legend, "If you don't 
see what you want, ask for it?" and if a thing 



42 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the M}unt 

is worth having, it is worth asking for. 
Neither are our desires sent to us by proxy. 
Jesus, to test the faith of blind Bartimus, who 
sat by the wayside, asked of him what he de- 
sired, and Bartimus said : ' ' Lord, that I might 
receive my sight," and immediately he did re- 
ceive his sight, when he had made the proper 
petition asking for what he earnestly desired. 
The healing source was already there and 
when the cup of asking was dipped into the 
stream, then Bartimus received the waters of 
restoration. 

On the same principles we must seek if we 
want to find, and Jesus here says "Ye shall 
find." It seems to be the law of the universe 
that every living thing has to seek and to 
strive to maintain life, whether it be of the 
animal or vegetable kingdom, all are seeking 
that source of supply which also is inexhaust- 
ible, whether it be of the sunshine or the air, 
or the water and the earth, they never sleep, 
but are always ready to supply whatever or 
whoever earnestly seek their life-giving 
source. So for all who zealously Ask, Seek 
and Knock, they will find the door ajar, and 



T he Spirit of Christ 's Sermon on the Mount 43 

God standing near the portal ready to throw 
open wide to all who earnestly put their trust 
in Him. 

Jesus then asked a pointed question regard- 
ing human life as too often found in the pre- 
cincts of the family home. The question ap- 
pears to bear the design of a rebuke — to the 
father, who possibly may have a wayward son, 
and often as the son would come before the 
father for aid, the parent smarting with 
thoughts of his son^s misgivings, would, as it 
were, return to this son a heart of stone, or 
language which bore more the hiss from the 
serpent's tongue, than from a parent, who 
rather should help to bear the infirmities of 
the weak instead of the often uncivil ban. As 
much as the parent may be disappointed in 
the conduct of his erring son ; there is a better 
way than the always harsh weapon of rebuke 
— "for reproof is a bitter pill — but let it be 
silvered over with kindness." Change the 
methods formerly used, and put out thoughts 
of love ; encourage him to better efforts and 
make him feel there is something in him com- 
mendable. . This may be the beginning of bet- 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 44 

ter resolves, for very often — "A word fitly 
spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of 
silver," and the next time he writes you for a 
check, send it to him, with a letter bearing the 
spirit of Parental Psychology proclaiming 
Hope and Good Will. Then the Law Divine 
will again bring together the bond of unison, 
and both father and son have discovered the 
lost chord of harmony has been found — and 
again their hearts are attuned with that 
" Peace" given by Him who says, "Peace, I 
leave with you, my peace I give unto you: 
not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let 
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 
afraid. ' ' 

Now follows that Great Precept, known the 
world over as the "Golden Rule" that Jesus 
taught, containing but twenty-six words, yet 
embraces all law and all statutes, that have 
been spoken by prophets, or framed by judi- 
cial tribunals, legislatures, Kings or Rulers of 
whatever age or locality that designed to con- 
vey righteousness, equality and justice. These 
few words contain the spirit of all law for the 
government of the human race, and has been 



Th e Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 45 

so recognized by other great teachers, who 
also have left Golden Rules. The fundamen- 
tals which all point to the same sublime teach- 
ings that Jesus spoke. 

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would 
that men should do to you, do ye even 
so to them : for this is the law and the proph- 
ets." 

And these words will endure as long as hu- 
man nature itself endures. Notwithstanding 
that this short rule has been admitted by all 
the great teachers as the foundation on which 
to build up truth and righteousness in the 
world — still the world is always opposing the 
adoption of the principle, and fighting for fear 
it may be adopted, regarding it as an unwel- 
come opponent of world's selfishness; al- 
though if universal in practice, would deprive 
the soldier and the sailor of their jobs, the 
lawyer and the judges, the jail keepers and 
policemen would then become few, the profi- 
teer in coal, food stuff, building material and 
other necessaries of life would cease their 
practice. There would not be so much busi- 
ness for the mills that make armor plate to 



46 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

cover battleships, or for the gun maker, or the 
explosive shell or poison gas manufacturer. 
But there would be less people poor in spirit, 
less that mourn, less sickness, epidemics, pesti- 
lence and persecutions, poverty and unrest — 
"for God never takes one thing away but 
something else is given." Any nation, and 
that nation's people, that truly adopt the 
Golden Rule as its standard, and the funda- 
mentals of its Constitution; making it one of 
its Articles, will become the strong nation of 
the world: no matter who they are, or how 
weak they may appear to be today, but if the 
Golden Rule is their standard, in Faith and 
Practice, without equivocation, they then 
have built a nation upon a rock that the rest 
of the whole world combined, could not pre- 
vail against it, for God's plan is their refuge 
and their strength. And from the ashes of 
the great conflagration that has swept over 
the world for so many years, such a nation 
will arise ; it will come from that people, who 
in unity, earnestly desire — and fervently pray, 
"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in 
earth, as it is in Heaven." Whether the relig- 






The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 47 

ion of that people would be known as Christi- 
anity (which would be an admirable name), 
if they earnestly mean by it the religion of 
Christ — the religion He taught, the religion 
which centers in His person and His spiritual 
presence with men: whereby bad lives are 
made good, men become unselfish and devoted 
not alone to themselves but also to the interest 
of others, purity being marked in the lines of 
families and individuals, while higher ideals 
and more shining hopes are created, giving 
men a new vision — to avoid the gate that is 
wide, and the way that is broad, which lead 
so many on to destruction — if they enter there, 
and follow that way. But with purity in vi- 
sion, our eye is ever single to the straight gate 
and narrow way, which leadeth unto Life, but 
the way so few willing to make a sacrifice ever 
find. Neither is there any other way where 
pure religion and undefiled can be found, than 
by the straight gate and narrow way over 
which are written in words of illumination, 
Victory and Truth. 

Jesus said : 

" Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that en- 
tereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but 



48 T he Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

climbeth up some other way, the same is a 
thief and a robber. 

"I am the door: by me if any man enter 
in. he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, 
and find pasture." 

There has from the time of the teachings by 
the Apostles, as up to our own present time, 
sprung up some men of learning or with the 
gift of writing or eloquence, who with what 
has finally proven sophistry, made attempts to 
found a new religion, but in their efforts to 
formulate a system of ethics, that brings peace 
and satisfaction to the human heart, has only 
brought to them confusion. Followers they 
find that turn for a time to these philosophies 
of modern speculation, and other religious 
systems, finally discovering they have been fol- 
lowing "False Prophets " come to them in 
"sheep's clothing" and that this tree of influ- 
ence they expected to find yielding to them 
spiritual fruit, was but a corrupt tree, yield- 
ing to them ' ' evil fruit, ' ' they finally return to 
the religion of Jesus Christ, that is known 
by its fruit, and with the same plea as came 
from Peter of old, cry, "Lord, to whom shall 



Th2 Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 49 

we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." 
"Let us have one Shepherd (Jesus Christ) and 
one sheepfold; that will then be His church." 

"There is that scattereth, and yet increas- 
eth; and there is that withholdeth more than 
is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." There is 
a very deep meaning, also practical wisdom 
and truth, comprised in these words found in 
Proverbs 11.24. They appear to convey the 
same application that Jesus had in mind when 
in the closing part of His immortal Sermon on 
the Mount He used the words of severe cen- 
sure — seemingly intended for those professors 
who for a time run well while the road is 
smooth, but faint in the day of adversity. He 
said: 

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, 
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; 
but he that doeth the will of my Father which 
is in heaven. 

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, 
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? 
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in 
thy name done many wonderful works? 

"And then will I profess unto them, I never 



50 The Spirit of Christ's Serhion on the Mount 

knew you: depart from me, ye that work ini- 
quity." 

When Jesus pronounced His declaration to 
this listening multitude, who in that hour had 
heard such teachings as never man spake be- 
fore, they then not only were astonished at His 
doctrine, but also began to realize they were 
in the presence of a superior being, who had 
taught them as one having authority, and not 
as the Scribes; He seemed to bear a message 
to them saying, "Heaven and earth shall pass 
away; but My words shall not pass away"; 
"They are spirit, and they are life"; "If any 
man will come after me, let him deny himself, 
and take up his cross and follow me." 

As He then looked into the near future, and 
down through the world's history of the com- 
ing ages, He saw before Him, those who would 
offer themselves to go forth and scatter the 
seeds of His Gospel; and for a time as these 
labored, it would appear, their harvest would 
be gathered with a bountiful increase, and 
everything seemed to be in their favor — when 
suddenly as a bolt of lightning from the clear 
sky, there would appear some blight to destroy 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 51 

the garnering. Perhaps the voice of the world 
called to them, promising wealth and affluence 
in exchange if the Gospel of Jesus Christ was 
laid aside ; or perhaps great wars should come, 
when nation should rise against nation, and 
the Christian churches should make the war 
one of its principal issues, and as these so- 
called professors of Christ's teachings could 
not balance the teachings of Love and Hate, 
within the same principle — so they would sus- 
pend the ethics Jesus had been teaching of 
''Love your enemies," and as an emergency — 
resurrect the old time ethics, "Thou shalt love 
thy neighbor and hate thine enemy ; and prob- 
ably the minister in the pulpit, as also the 
Bishop over many pulpits, would there pray to 
God who is Father over all, that He would 
bring vengeance and destruction upon that 
particular people they were then at war with ; 
these petitions being made for effect — think- 
ing they were pleasing popular opinion. But 
instead the opposite effect is produced, for 
the one sitting in the pew, know full well such 
is not God's teachings, and is not what they 
want to hear in the church that should be 



52 The Spi rit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

dedicated to God, and to service in His Holy 
Name; so finally decide they get no spiritual 
benefit from the church they attend — and as a 
substitute, take an automobile ride out into 
God's country, made beautiful by His handi- 
work, and where all things are pure. 

They are then away from thoughts and 
teachings of envy, selfishness, retaliation and 
revenge, which if they practice any part them- 
selves their better nature, the voice within, 
tells them that these are dangerous foes to the 
spiritual as well as the physical life, as they 
eat out the health of those who teach them, 
also those who listen. For the ever-present 
law, point out to them the truth, that there is 
no peace where there is discord in the mind. 
Hence the teacher — also, that has allowed, as it 
were, the mob to turn him from the eternal 
principle of right, discovers his influence for 
good has vanished, for "when the rain des- 
cended, and the floods came, and the winds 
blew, and beat upon his castle of thought, it 
fell, for it was built upon the Sands of Com- 
promise, and the higher up the man, or the 
church, or any organization, that their house 



The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 53 

was built on that foundation — the greater was 
their fall. For they had withheld more than 
was meet, when the critical time came for the 
acid-test to be made, as to their faith, and their 
profession. 

We have only to look into history and over 
the world's events happening within the past 
few years, to verify the above recital. 

Jesus also looked at the no compromise side. 
He saw gathered around Him those Disciples 
who had given up all to follow Him. They 
believed He was the Son of God, the Saviour 
of mankind, the Light of the World. Jesus 
knew their thoughts and their beliefs, also the 
part each was adapted for, to perpetuate His 
teachings in the future. He saw these of His 
chosen Disciples, as also those others who 
would be added to their number, go forth into 
the world animated with the same spirit as He 
also had received, to "preach the Gospel to the 
poor; to heal the broken-hearted, to preach 
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of 
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that 
are bruised." They were not equipped with 
material wealth, or national and political in- 



54 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

fluence, neither were they endowed with a 
classical education, and with only the Holy 
Spirit as their guide and help, would proclaim 
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of which they 
never would be ashamed, as it would have the 
power of God unto Salvation, that eventually 
would redeem the whole world. He saw these 
unlearned men, some of which were but hum- 
ble fishermen, preaching powerful sermons, 
which would in ages to come be used as class- 
ics by great institutions of learning. 

He saw them meeting with great opposition, 
with cruel persecution with prison cells and 
poverty, with obstacles crossing their paths to 
endeavor to suppress their teachings, and fi- 
nally without the shadow of any compromise, 
go to a martyr's death for their faith that 
could not be broken. And the world ever 
after has admired these noble men, for the fi- 
delity they maintained to the trust reposed in 
them — by Him — whom they loved even to the 
end, and their names together with their Mas- 
ter are perpetuated all over the world, in the 
naming of great cathedrals and churches, hos- 
pitals and seats of learning to their memory. 



The Sp irit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 55 

Their names have been for centuries the inspi- 
ration for all the world's famed music com- 
posers, poets, painters and sculptors, so that 
now their memory never sleeps; for in their 
mission on earth they never surrendered to 
compromise : 

"And when the rain descended, and the 
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat 
upon their House of Truth, and it fell not ; for 
it was founded upon a rock/' 

The rock that was higher than they. 

This then is the everlasting Gospel of Jesus 
Christ — which Paul truthfully says, "Is the 
power of God unto salvation, to everyone that 
believeth" ; it is the Magna Charta, the rule and 
guide for all living to be governed by : whether 
it be the individual, the state, government, na- 
tion or kingdom. Here in this gospel can be 
found the way to overcome the difficulties that 
confronts life's problems as they appear from 
time to time ; and when the world will begin to 
realize there is no other way given among men, 
but to adopt and practice the principles and 
teachings as laid down in Christ's Sermon on 
the Mount, and will hear these sayings and 



56 The Spirit of Christ's Sermon on the Mount 

doeth them, then will be brought on earth 
peace and good will toward men. 

So in the closing words of this little book 
which I freely present to you, can I not stimu- 
late its readers to read, read, read the fifth, 
sixth and seventh chapters of St. Matthew: 
read Christ's Sermon on the Mount, read it 
carefully and prayerfully, until you begin to 
realize the breadth, and length and depth and 
height contained there, read it often. Each 
time you read it the light will grow brighter, 
until finally the full illumination will be 
thrown upon its pages — as it were, from the 
powerful rays of the electric arc lamp — You 
will then see and hear the words of Him, who 
was and who is the "Wonderful Counsellor, 
the Prince of Peace.'' Proclaiming, "I am 
come a light into the world, that whosoever be- 
lieveth on me should not abide in darkness." 

SO WHEN LIFE'S SHADOWS GATHER AND THE DARK 
HOURS COME AS THEY WILL, THEN LET US TURN ON THE 
LIGHT— AND THE DARKNESS WILL DISAPPEAR. 

THE END 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: July 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry TownshiD. PA 1 6066 
(724) 779-21 1 1 



